Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to instruments for surgically joining and cutting tissue and, more specifically, to surgical instruments having curved or straight jaw members and loading units for use therewith.
Background of Related Art
Various types of surgical instruments used to surgically join tissue are known in the art, and are commonly used, for example, for closure of tissue or organs in transection, resection, anastomoses, for occlusion of organs in thoracic and abdominal procedures, and for mechanically sealing tissue.
One example of such a surgical instrument is a surgical stapling instrument, which may include an anvil assembly, a cartridge assembly for supporting an array of surgical staples, an approximation mechanism for approximating the cartridge and anvil assemblies, and a firing mechanism for ejecting the surgical staples from the cartridge assembly.
When using a surgical stapling instrument, it is common for a surgeon to approximate the anvil and cartridge assemblies. Next, the surgeon can fire the surgical stapling instrument to emplace staples in tissue. Additionally, the surgeon may use the same instrument or a separate instrument to cut the tissue adjacent or between the row(s) of staples.
Presently, a component or components used to rotatably couple the cartridge and/or anvil assembly to a body of the surgical stapling instrument is constructed from stainless steel using a complex manufacturing process.